Use of hederagenin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1-4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside or an extract from pulsatillae radix containing the same as a therapeutic agent for solid tumors

Abstract

This invention relates to a use of hederagenin 3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl((1→2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside or a Pulsatillae radix extract containing the same as a therapeutic agent for solid tumors. Also, this invention relates to a method of preparing a therapeutic agent for solid tumors by using hederagenin 3-0-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside, or a method of treating a subject suffering from solid tumors, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of hederagenin 3-0-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside.

1. A method of treating a lung tumor in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of an isolated hederagenin 3-0-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside, wherein said isolated hederagenin 3-0-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→2)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→4)]-α-L-arabinopyranoside is contained in a fraction obtained by extracting Pulsatillae radix with an aqueous solution of ethanol to form a mixture, adding acetone to precipitate the mixture, collecting the resultant precipitate, drying the precipitate, reconstituting the precipitate, fractionating the reconstituted precipitate by gel filtration, subjecting the fractions to thin layer chromatography and collecting a fraction which has an R f  value of 0.48 to 0.50. 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fraction is administered at a daily dose of 20 to 40 mg/kg body weight.